The undeniable chemistry between the two leads is taking social media by storm.
Despite having two beloved actors in the spotlight, the latest KBS K-drama, Pump Up the Healthy Love, is struggling to break free from the 0% viewership threshold in Korea.
Starring Lee Jun Young and Jung Eun Ji, the drama has garnered attention, but according to Nielsen Korea, its most recent episode achieved a mere 1.1% in nationwide household viewership, marking a disappointing 0.2% drop from the previous episode.
This trend isn’t new; the drama kicked off with a disappointing 1.8% viewership upon its premiere, which remained unchanged for its second episode. Viewership dipped to 1.5% in the third episode before experiencing a slight rise to 1.7% in the fourth.
With just five episodes left, the outlook is grim for Pump Up the Healthy Love, as it seems likely to conclude with less-than-stellar ratings. This isn’t an isolated issue; other terrestrial dramas like SBS‘s Spring of Youth and MBC‘s Crushology 101 are also grappling with similar audience declines. This trend raises concerns of a broader crisis among traditional TV dramas, especially given that even past underperformers like Kokdu: Season of Deity managed steadier ratings around 1.3%.
Record-Breaking K-Drama Ends With 0% Rating Despite Popular Cast
While broadcast ratings paint a bleak picture, the drama seems to be thriving on streaming platforms. It’s drawing in a younger audience, who are gravitating towards OTT services. In fact, Pump Up the Healthy Love has successfully ranked among the top 20 dramas on Wavve, took the top spot on Disney+ Korea’s “Top 10” list on May 15, and even achieved the title of number one drama on Taiwan’s friDay Video.
The ninth episode of Pump Up the Healthy Love is set to air on May 29 at 9:50 PM KST.
